Protists are a diverse group of organisms that are not classified as animals, plants, or fungi. There are many synonyms that can be used to describe these unicellular or multicellular organisms, including "protozoa", which refers to animal-like protists that typically live in water and feed on bacteria and other small microorganisms. Another synonym is "algae", which are plant-like protists that use photosynthesis to create energy. Other terms that can be used interchangeably with "protists" include "unicellular eukaryotes" and "microbes". There are many different types of protists, from amoebas and paramecia to diatoms and seaweed, making this a truly fascinating group of organisms to study.